105 & 106

Chapter 105: An Old Acquaintance 70 Years Ago

At the moment, S.H.I.E.L.D. was in chaos. Captain America, the symbol of American ideals, had not only turned traitor but had also infiltrated the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters?

Little did they know, Skye had deliberately misled them.

Rumlow, or Crossbones, with a scowl on his face and a team of HYDRA agents, searched the building.

"Clatter—" A basin of water was thrown on Nick Fury.

"Uh—" With a groan, Nick Fury jolted awake to see a smiling Thor.

"Good to see you, old friend. I would be happier if you hadn't woken me up this way."

"But you asked me to handle your funeral arrangements. Why are you pleased I didn't incinerate you?"

Sharon and the others nearby burst into laughter.

"Tell me, why did you fake your death and come to me?" Thor asked, clearly annoyed. This old man could be quite troublesome.

Nick Fury sighed. "Since there has been an assassination attempt, the threat won't vanish, and it's impossible to defend against entirely. Only Deadman is safe from assassination. The reason I came here is that this is the only place where HYDRA would hesitate to reach."

"Fine, you can choose any room in the small building next door. But I don't offer my hospitality for nothing—what will you contribute?"

Nick Fury looked a bit embarrassed. "I don't think there's anything you'd find of interest right now."

"Well, for instance, my estate feels too empty. I could use a pet."

"A pet?" Nick Fury was confused. What kind of request was this? And he, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., had to comply?

He hesitantly asked, "You don't want a panda, do you?"

"What are you thinking? I want that orange cat," Thor said, exasperated. What was this man's thought process?

"Orange cat?" Nick Fury was momentarily taken aback before realizing, "You mean the Flerken?"

Since that unfortunate incident years ago, Nick Fury had avoided cats, but he had made sure the Flerken was well cared for at S.H.I.E.L.D., providing it with the finest food and drink. After all, it had been Captain Marvel's pet.

"Well, if you take care of it, I'll be more at ease, and it'll be easier to explain if Carol comes back."

"Meow—"

Thor looked up to see a competent woman carrying the orange cat into the manor's yard...

"I just promised, and you've already sent it? "Nick Fury's forehead was lined with frustration.

"Director Nick? You're not dead?" Maria Hill was shocked. The recent S.H.I.E.L.D. incident had left her bewildered, and she was further confused when she received a call from Thor.

"If you want to know the truth, go to that location and bring the orange cat to Trudheim Manor." Thor hung up, leaving her puzzled, and she received an address on her phone.

As an alien visitor, she still believed in Thor, so she hurried over to retrieve the Goose. Unexpectedly, she found a live, Nick Fury.

Nick Fury explained the situation, and Hill's expression grew somber.

"So, what do we do now?" Hill asked, looking at Nick, who in turn looked at Thor.

"What should I do? You're the Director! Don't tell me you have no plans."

"But I feel you must have a better solution," Nick Fury said with conviction.

"There is a solution, but you might not like it. The space carrier probably hasn't launched yet, so I could destroy it right now, and the issue would be resolved in less than half an hour..."

Simple and brutal—this was very Hulk-like! No, this was Thor! While this approach would indeed eliminate the Insight Plan, it would make Washington completely intolerant of super-powered individuals...

Hill laughed, and Nick slapped his thigh in frustration—how did he forget that this guy always went for the direct approach if he could?

…

At the abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff walked into the hall, where three portraits caught their eye.

"Admiral Jack Thompson, the World War II leader; Howard Stark, Tony's father; Peggy Carter, my predecessor."

Natasha introduced them.

"I still remember during my last mission, they watched me board the plane. Unexpectedly, it was all a dream, and things changed," Steve said, somewhat emotional.

Fortunately, Bucky was still alive, though turned into an enemy. Steve believed Bucky was merely misled for a time.

Inside, they found a room filled with old-fashioned computers, with a USB interface that seemed out of place.

Natasha stepped forward and inserted the USB drive into the slot.

The screen flickered, the program started, and a skull-like face slowly appeared.

"Steve Rogers, we meet again."

---

Chapter 106: Hydra List

"Arnim Zola! I recognize his voice!" Steve exclaimed.

This was someone he would never forget for as long as he lived—the one who had caused him to lose Bucky.

"Dr. Zola? Isn't he dead? Is this a video?" Natasha asked, puzzled.

From what she knew, Dr. Zola had been a key military scientist under Red Skull during World War II, committing many atrocities before being captured by Thor. Later, due to his expertise, he was recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D.

Natasha explained to Steve what had happened to Dr. Zola afterward.

"I'm not a video, young lady. I may not be the man your friend took to prison in 1945, but I'm still me," Dr. Zola's deep voice resonated.

"In 1972, I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Science could not save my body, but my mind was worth preserving, so I was stored in a 200,000-foot-long database."

Dr. Zola's voice grew enthusiastic. "They thought I could advance their agenda. But I have always had my own plans!"

The screen on the computer began to display the evolution of HYDRA over the years.

It had all been set in motion when Dr. Zola was recruited. With the aid of insiders, HYDRA had gradually inserted its own personnel, infiltrating unseen. Today, HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. were merely two sides of the same coin.

"HYDRA has created a chaotic world, and people are finally ready to trade their freedom for security. Once our purification process is complete, the new world order established by HYDRA will be born! We have won. Hail HYDRA!"

"What exactly is the data on the USB drive?" Natasha asked, focusing on a crucial point.

"The Zola Algorithm. As for its purpose, you don't need to know. Apologies, I was stalling. A missile will detonate here in 30 seconds."

The room's door closed immediately. Steve moved toward the sewer entrance, but Natasha stopped him, and a female voice came through the communicator.

"I've activated the signal jammer. The missile will arrive at least three minutes late. The door lock has been disengaged. Go now! HYDRA will soon realize something is amiss!"

Inside Trudheim Manor, Skye wiped the sweat from her brow. She had just managed to hack into Dr. Zola's supercomputer and take over the old S.H.I.E.L.D. control system.

"I didn't expect the system left behind by someone dead for decades to be so advanced!" Skye said with lingering apprehension. Without the high-tech computer integrated with alien technology, her success would have been unlikely.

"A dangerous organization like HYDRA being able to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. is truly frightening!"

Nick Fury's expression darkened. The HYDRA infiltration had started half a century ago. How many trusted allies were left in S.H.I.E.L.D.? He dared not imagine.

After a moment's thought, he stepped aside, picked up his phone, and dialed: "Sam, the Captain needs assistance..."

Falcon was one of the few people he trusted.

Meanwhile, Skye handed Thor a USB drive.

"Here, I copied this from Dr. Zola's database. It contains a list of nearly all HYDRA members."

"Good work!" Thor took the USB drive and ruffled Skye's hair in satisfaction.

Skye looked indignant as if her tail had been stepped on. She put her hands on her hips and said, "I worked so hard for you, and that's all I get?"

"Okay, what reward do you want?" Thor asked, looking helpless.

Due to Peggy Carter's influence, Thor often treated Skye like a child, though she was in her twenties.

Thor patted her on the shoulder, and a magical energy flowed through Skye: "There, your reward has been given."

Skye, bewildered, looked at Thor, who said meaningfully, "Do you now know the secret to Aunt Peggy's youthful appearance? You're the same as her now."

!!!

Though not widely known, Peggy Carter's ageless appearance was a topic of curiosity. Skye, who had grown up with Peggy, was one of those intrigued by it.

Over the years, she had asked Peggy about it many times, but Peggy had always smiled and deflected. Skye hadn't been sure until now.

Skye's eyes widened with delight. "So Aunt Peggy stayed young because of you? That's amazing! I was worried at first, but now I can look forward to being a youthful thirty-year-old!"

"Is it really necessary to be so excited? Everyone in my manor shares this blessing," Thor said, squinting. What sort of thirty-year-old lady is she imagining?

Skye gradually calmed down. Wait, everyone in the manor has this blessing?

She recalled the relationships between the girls living in the manor and Thor, and her cheeks flushed.